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Pennsylvania stars dominate Ohio in All-Star Classic
Pennsylvania stars dominate Ohio in 31st Stateline All-Star Classic
By Tom Williams
BELOIT
Center Township High quarterback Preston Dawson took full advantage of South Side wide receiver Kevin Gergen’s 6-foot-4 frame to ignite Pennsylvania to Friday’s 38-8 win over Ohio in the 31st annual Penn-Ohio Stateline All-Star Football Classic.
Midway through the first quarter, Pennsylvania faced fourth and 9 on the team’s second possession. Dawson scrambled to buy time then heaved the ball into the corner of the end zone where Temple recruit Gergen bounced off Indian Creek cornerback Michael Wayt then leaped with arms fully extended.
Gergen’s timing was perfect as he pulled down the ball to give Pennsylvania the lead. Luca Campos’ extra-point kick made the score 7-0.
“The coaches told me just to throw it up because he’s 6-4,” said Dawson, who was voted Pennsylvania’s Most Valuable Player after tossing three touchdown passes. “He made the play, both times for six [points].”
Dawson also hit Gergen for a 28-yard toss in the second quarter and Rochester’s Trey Johnson for a 51-yard strike in the third quarter for a 31-2 lead. He completed 6 of 9 passes for 133 yards.
“They controlled the line of scrimmage,” said Ohio coach Jeff Sharkey of East Palestine. “And they had height advantage.
“I will give their coaches credit,” Sharkey said. “They saw an advantage that they had and they took it two or three times.”
One of his school’s defensive lineman, Ben Gysin, said giveaways turned the game into a rout.
“Turnovers, way too many turnovers,” said Gysin after Ohio lost four fumbles and Hopewell defender Dayne Smith picked off Western Reserve quarterback Shane Ewing in the second quarter. “They had a decent-size line but we had just as equally as good of a team but the mental mistakes we made just killed us in the end.”
Gysin, a Mercyhurst recruit, was voted Ohio’s MVP as his squad’s leading tackler.
Pennsylvania took a 14-0 lead late in the opening quarter with a three-play scoring drive on the third possession. Dawson set up the score with a 43-yard scramble to the Ohio 7 yard line.
One play later, Beaver Falls running back Cody Cook raced into the end zone.
Ohio was poised to slice the deficit in half about four minutes before halftime. In fact, West Branch running back Mark Smith is certain he was in the end zone on a second-and-goal run from the 3.
“I was in, I was over the line,” Smith said of the play that was ruled a fumble at the 1. “Before I even fumbled, my knee was down. [The ball] got punched backwards.
“I personally think it was a touchdown, so does the whole offensive line,” Smith said. “I just think there was too much of a crowd for anyone to tell.”
Sharkey agreed the game turned on Pennsylvania’s goal-line stand.
“I saw the fumble but I did not see how it happened,” Sharkey said of the confusion. “Anytime you lose a scoring opportunity, it comes back and haunts you.
“That could have made it 14-7 right before halftime, but they turned around and got a score in on us.”
Dayne Smith’s pickoff set up Gergen’s second score, a 28-yard reception with 28 seconds to go for a 21-2 lead.
“That really put the nail right into the coffin,” Sharkey said.
Ohio’s only points of the first half came on a play when even Gergen wasn’t tall enough. Also Pennsylvania’s punter, Gergen was unable to prevent a high snap from sailing out of the end zone for a safety.
Indian Creek running back Doren Thomas scored a 14-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
“The game was definitely not how I wanted to go out,” Smith said, “but it was a very good experience. I got to meet a ton of new people and it was nice to have a competition that was more than a [league] contest.”